


Sharing the Load

by OhNoMyBreadsticks



Series: Bready writes for friends [13]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: A few references to sex but nothing explicit, Caring, Established Relationship, Explicit Consent, Fluff, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Minor Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, No Smut, Soft Eskel (The Witcher), Soft Lambert (The Witcher), Winter At Kaer Morhen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26844487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhNoMyBreadsticks/pseuds/OhNoMyBreadsticks
Summary: Everyone knows Eskel is the responsible one, the one everyone can depend on. He's clearly the dominant personality in his relationship with Lambert as well.But sometimes, appearances can be deceiving. And even the most competent of Witchers need a little bit of care.
Relationships: Eskel/Lambert (The Witcher)
Series: Bready writes for friends [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1563877
Comments: 12
Kudos: 67
Collections: Quiet Life Bingo Fills





	Sharing the Load

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jaskiersvalley (connorssock)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/connorssock/gifts).



> This fic was very much written because I wanted to twist the expected dynamics of Eskel and Lambert together. I've read some really fantastic takes on Lambert being the dominant before and was feeling inspired! I also wanted to write some smutless dom/sub just to see if I could tbh! I hope you enjoy this very fluffy piece C:
> 
> This is a bingo fill for dom/sub and also dedicated to my wonderful friend jaskiersvalley. They're such an inspiring and supportive writer and friend, and they keep me writing and loving it <3 <3 I wanted to write you something soft with one of first fave Witcher pairings!

The dynamics at Kaer Morhen when the Witchers came home for the winter were exactly as one might expect them to be. Brothers who hadn’t seen each other all year returning from isolation to their one safe haven, adjusting to a life both familiar and alien. Because no matter how many new guests they brought home, or how the castle deteriorated from year to year, Kaer Morhen was their home. It was where they had grown up, and where they would inevitably flock back to. Or rather, arrive back to their pack, if the metaphor of wolves Jaskier was so fond of was allowed to continue. 

Lambert was usually the first to arrive home, bursting into the castle in a rush of excited bluster and tales of his victories along the path. Vesemir, patient and true as always, was forced to listen to them ahead of time, and then a second time again once the others arrived. He set the youngest wolf to work preparing the Keep, but it did very little to tone down his energy or his loud mouth. 

Geralt was next, bringing with him his equally energetic bard. Vesemir would use the excuse of playing host to escape to the kitchen when Jaskier and Lambert inevitably got drunk and started trying to one-up each other in some ridiculous contest or other. Geralt, who had no excuse, simply had to sit there and think wistfully of all the Gwent he could be playing right now. It  _ was _ nice, Vesemir had to admit, to have the keep echoing with laughter for once, instead of screams or moans of pain. 

The inevitable nighttime moaning was less welcome, but Vesemir simply had to endure that as well.

Finally, just as the first snow began to fall, Eskel would arrive. Responsible, hard-working Eskel, who finished all of his contracts before he made the trip to Kaer Morhen, who stopped along the way to gather supplies for the rest of the Keep with his hard-earned coin. Vesemir breathed a sigh of relief, because he knew that Eskel was the final missing puzzle piece that would settle his boys for the rest of the winter. If Lambert got too boisterous, Eskel would take him out into the training square to burn off steam. In the evenings he would make sure that they all settled in to play cards with a wager just enticing enough to bring Jaskier into the fold and get them all enjoying the game. And sometimes, when Lambert was just mouthing off a little too much, Eskel would silence him with a kiss.

Everyone could depend on Eskel, he was the dominant personality in Kaer Morhen. And, much to Vesemir’s joy, his and Lambert’s shared room in the Keep was nowhere near as noisy as Geralt and Jaskier’s was at night. Leave it to the sensible wolf to know not to waste all his energy on overly enthusiastic sex every night. How he managed to keep Lambert quiet was another matter entirely, and one Vesemir resolutely did not want to think about.

* * *

What no one in Kaer Morhen, nor anyone who had ever seen Lambert and Eskel in their rare moments together on the Path, would expect was what happened every night when they were alone. Lambert would burst into the door to their room first, cackling over whatever dumb joke he had last exchanged with Jaskier. Eskel would follow after, smiling indulgently and shaking his head in fond exhaustion with his partner’s antics. But as soon as the door closed, Lambert went quiet, turning to Eskel with a smile of his own.    
  
“Alright, let’s get you out of that armor” He said, stepping close to Eskel and beginning to carefully yet efficiently unbuckle the many belts that held a Witcher’s gear together, “You did so well today, my darling. Worked so hard, helped Geralt patch up the wall, made sure Vesemir had what he needed for the kitchen...” The list of praise for Eskel’s actions continued, trailing off into just little things that Lambert had noticed about his partner that day. The way he had smiled up at the clear blue sky in the afternoon, or the way he made sure Lil Bleater had her favorite treats, all the little kindnesses he knew Eskel put so much thought and effort into.

“It’s my turn now though” Lambert added as he slipped off the last piece of armor, leaving Eskel in just his underclothes, “Are you ready to let me take care of you?” Eskel smiled softly in return and nodded, murmuring “Always.” 

Lambert was beaming as he leaned up to press a kiss to that perfect scarred cheek, reminding his partner with a squeeze of his hand that if he got overwhelmed at all he could squeeze twice in quick succession and they’d simply get in bed and turn off the lights for sleep. Not that Eskel had ever asked, but Lambert figured that in a scenario where he was trying to take pressure off his partner, he should probably make sure he had a choice in the matter.

Routine established, Lambert guided Eskel over to the bed, setting his favorite fluffy pillow down on the floor right by the edge. Lambert sat on the edge of the bed and spread his legs, setting one foot on each side of the pillow. “Down you go, sweetheart. Get comfortable.” he ordered, and watched as Eskel arranged himself on the cushion, his vulnerable back to Lambert.

“Perfect” He praised, reaching forward and running his fingers through that wonderful dark hair, tugging Eskel gently back until he was leaning comfortably. Then he could start his scalp massage, fingers gently untangling any knots in his hair and fingernails scratching just so at his skin. It only took a few moments of this indulgent treatment to have Eskel’s eyes slipping closed and the first pleased sound escaping. Lambert was relentless in the slow buildup of pressure, working down to the back of his neck as the massage continued.

And this, this was Lambert’s favorite view of Eskel - watching all the cares and worries of the world melt away off his shoulders. He took on so much for all of them, all this responsibility and care, and Lambert knew he liked it in his own way. He was a helper, his Eskel. But he was also an exhausted man, and one who needed some attention of his own at the end of the day. Lambert wasn’t so stupid as to be blind to the needs of his partner, so they had slowly fallen into this routine in the evenings. 

Lambert would take care of Eskel, sometimes with some sort of sexual release, but mostly just with gentle touches and firm praise. Reminding him that he was worth holding, and that he deserved just as much care as all the others he looked after. Maybe even more so, in Lambert’s opinion. Scalp massages were by far Eskel’s favorites on days when he had been doing a lot of work around the Keep, and Lambert had to admit they were just as enjoyable for him too. He got to feel this soft hair between his fingers, and watch the way his partner’s eyelids fluttered when he hit a particularly nice spot.

As Eskel’s breathing evened out to a measured, calm pace, Lambert finally slowed his fingers, giving him one last gentle pat on the top of the head. “Time for bed now. Arms up, let’s get this shirt off” He decided, helping Eskel out of his undershirt and into his soft sleep shirt. It had been a gift last year, as they started having their quiet evenings together. A physical reminder that sometimes it was okay to indulge in something nice just for  _ you _ . It took a little bit of coaxing, but soon enough Eskel was down to just his underthings and his socks (which was the cutest fucking look, thank you very much), and ready to be bundled into bed.

Lambert turned out the candles with a flick of his wrist and climbed in after him, pulling the down comforter up to ward off the chill of the castle. He wiggled up against Eskel’s broad back, one arm snaking around his chest and one leg hooking over his hip, ensuring maximum contact as he pressed a kiss to the back of his partner’s neck. 

“There we go, all snug.” He murmured, “Do you need anything else, sweetheart?” When there was no reply, just the soft huff of Eskel’s breathing as he slept, Lambert knew his job was done and done well. Tomorrow they’d go out into the Keep and pick up their usual roles, Eskel as the helper and Lambert as the foul-mouthed nuisance. But for now, they could be quiet together.

The whisper of “I love you” was the last finishing touch, as Lambert closed his eyes and drifted off to let the cycle start anew.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope to keep creating more fluffy silly Witcher content in the future!
> 
> I'm also available on [tumblr](https://ohnomybreadsticks.tumblr.com/) if you ever feel like chatting or reading some of my lil drabbles, I’d love to see you there C:


End file.
